coupler alignment

[scoflaw]

So... after every possible front motor mount adjustment without success, how do you determine if the rear mounts need to go up or down? Before I pulled the motor I checked the alignment, and it was'nt that good then, but the coupler and drive shaft don't look bad. Should I run it or keep dicken with it?

 

[Don S]

Re: coupler alignment

There is no adjustment up or down for the rear mounts, if the rear mounts go bad the rear of the engine will drop a bit. Are you sure the coupler isn't bad? turn it 90, 180, and 270? and see if the alignment changes.

 

[6meter]

Re: coupler alignment

I wouldn't let it go if it isn't aligned correctly. You could be pulling the motor again if its not right.

 

[now151]

Re: coupler alignment

i just had similar problems trying to align my 4.3 penta volvo. i could get the alignment tool in and out but it did it with some drag. i tried moving the front mounts every whichaway and could not find a good spot to really be happy with. might try again this winter to see if i can get the alignment tool to slide in and out with ease like they claim it should. hopefully i'm not messing up my new bearing running for a few hours.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: coupler alignment

get the alignment tool to slide in and out with ease like they claim it should.

Gotta watch out for those boating maintenance myths...

Read This

 

[telstar1]

Re: coupler alignment

Try a piece of 1"rod or whatever size fits snugly in splines. Eyeball where it comes thru gimball brg.Hi lo etc.Rotate motor 4x90* to see if it changes. If it does coupler is no good.Adjust front motor mount to get it centred. If side to side is a prob Im TOLD you can muck with the thickness of washers under rear mounts on one side or other to get a bit of side movement. Havent had to do that ever myself.If you do the rod thing carefully it will give you a very good result,dont even need alignment bar and/or a/b should now slide in freely. MHO.

 

[Don S]

Re: coupler alignment

If you do the rod thing carefully it will give you a very good result,dont even need alignment bar and/or a/b should now slide in freely. MHO

You might think it's good enough for you, but I sure wouldn't be recommending it to anyone else.

Im TOLD you can muck with the thickness of washers under rear mounts on one side or other to get a bit of side movement.

Another bad idea, and not recommended. Washers under the rear mounts will not move the engine sideways.

The OP has a problem, and ideas like that will not help him get his problem fixed correctly

 

[GLENN M]

Re: coupler alignment

the video link says it all.i had to have someone who new what he was doing show me first time.it got frustrating but knowing damage it would cause i had it done right,one place you cant mickey mouse

 

[telstar1]

Re: coupler alignment

OK Don if you say so.

 

[Don S]

Re: coupler alignment

OK Don if you say so.

I do

 

[Alpheus]

Re: coupler alignment

Try a piece of 1"rod or whatever size fits snugly in splines.Eyeball where it comes thru gimball brg.Hi lo etc.Rotate motor 4x90* to see if it changes. If it does coupler is no good.Adjust front motor mount to get it centred. If side to side is a prob Im TOLD you can muck with the thickness of washers under rear mounts on one side or other to get a bit of side movement. Havent had to do that ever myself.If you do the rod thing carefully it will give you a very good result,dont even need alignment bar and/or a/b should now slide in freely. MHO.

WOW thats the biggest load of BS Ive seen in awhile.

WARNING to all people who have found this post while searching for help to properly align their engine. DO NOT do what is described above. It is 100% wrong...

 

[telstar1]

Re: coupler alignment

What can I say other than the straight bar works well for me, and all the people around here who have been shown the technique.Over 30 years now.It was shown to me by a local dealer and expert with a lot of experience and an excellent reputation. In fact he had never owned an alignment bar and did not seem to need it judjing by all his satisfied customers.Me I check it after with the regulation bar and it always goes in just fine. His and my forte I guess was trying to think out of the box sometimes to solve a difficult problem. If some of these solutions are not in the manual, maybe they should be. I guess no one thought a goofy idea like a stern drive would work either till Al strang thought out of the box in the late 50s. Like i also said. MHO which in this instance stands for my humble opinion.

Just sold my beloved 1974 Sangster yesterday, owned it 34 years, several thousand hours,5 engines. got more than I paid for it. Buyer who had owned several s.d. boats himself was most impressed by how smooth the boat ran. Didnt tell him how Id aligned it of course.
Gnight.

 

[choochooharley]

Re: coupler alignment

IMHO if your going to do the maintenace on your boat yourself you might as well spend the 80 bucks on and alignment tool. 1 it could save you a coupler and 2 if you own it and have it on hand you will be more prone to use it every time you take the drive off. I have checked the alignment on mine every time i pull the drive off even if it was just the previous week I had checked it and the boat hasnt been in the water. Its just a peice of mind for me and I paid the money for the tool why not get my moneys worth out of it

 

[scoflaw]

Re: coupler alignment

I can see where tel is coming from. Every time I pull out the tool some grease gets wiped off by the bearing. I'm not seeing 2" of clearly readable tracks.With his method of a straight 1.01 shaft, you could eyeball the space around the bearing and see clearly what the issue is, then finish up with tool.

 

[honeys money]

Re: coupler alignment

deleted

 

[Alpheus]

Re: coupler alignment

Didnt tell him how Id aligned it of course.

Why not?

Are you ashamed of something? I thought you said you have the "regulation bar"?

It was shown to me by a local dealer and expert with a lot of experience and an excellent reputation. In fact he had never owned an alignment bar and did not seem to need it judjing by all his satisfied customers.Me I check it after with the regulation bar and it always goes in just fine.

So let me get this straight.

A local dealer with 30 years of servicing boats with an excellent reputation aligned your outdrive with his "stick" but you pull your drive off again when you get it home and double check it with a proper alignment bar???

Doesn't sound right to me...

 

[telstar1]

Re: coupler alignment

Nope he showed me the bar trick 31 yrs ago, on another boat. Ive always done my own maint.Thats 38 yrs.Yes i check it with real bar last, maybe just to reconfirm in my mind that the 1 inch does work. Mostly I dont check it at all. If drive slid off easy and there were no issues with vibration,I just reinstal drive. I have done some pretty severe work with Mercruisers like log salvaging, and have on occasion twisted a coupler bushing, I think due to high torque loads of towing etc., so that coupler is no longer aligned.The 1 inch bar will tell you right away if the coupler is the problem, seems to me that the "real bar" is more trouble to pinpoint the initial prob . Like I said, finish up with the real bar if it is available, or whatever suits your fancy I guess.

On another note, this forum is one great place for info. Ive been able to solve more than a few problems of my own by reading about others experiences with their drives and engines.I dont agree with everything said nor would I expect others to always agree with what I say.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: coupler alignment

nor would I expect others to always agree with what I say.

That's for sure.

Hopefully, nobody takes your advice.

1) You ALWAYS use the proper alignment bar
2) Just because your drive slid off does not mean it is in alignment.

 

[now151]

Re: coupler alignment

thanks to all for your comments. i think i'll try a 1" bar next time i take my drive off. this may help me decide which way to adjust the front mounts. the 4.3 engine was replaced and someone installed the new motor without any alignment. i could tell because i couldn't adjust move them from rust. had to take both mounts off and apply heat to get nuts off.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: coupler alignment

i think i'll try a 1" bar next time i take my drive off.

See, you took the BAD advise and ran with it. A 1 inch bar will do absolutley nothing in aiding you in aligning your engine. You need the correct alignment made 100% to these specs. Anything else you are waisting your time...